CCC student Paul Bearchell credits scholarships helping him on his track to earn a business degree. Courtesy photo.
FLAGSTAFF — He’s a two-time cancer survivor, and his mother has survived her own bout with cancer.
That’s why Coconino Community College student Paul Bearchell, who is also in the CCC2NAU program, isn’t wasting any time working toward his associate degree in in Business so he can move over to NAU in the spring and start putting in the work for his bachelor’s in Marketing.
“I want to be my own business owner,” Bearchell said and laughed. “I have a passion for making things, and I really want to be my own boss … but I want my fingers in everything.”
It is a life plan made possible with the help of scholarships from the Raymond Educational Foundation. Bearchell has received the CCC2NAU scholarship to help him with his studies at CCC and NAU. The scholarships helped pay for his school tuition, books and other school expenses.
“It has been a big blessing, and it has helped subsidize the amount of money I have had to pay for school,” Bearchell said. “I am also honored to have received such a prestigious scholarship. It helps motivate me to try hard. It’s that little extra frosting on the cake.”
Bearchell has the added passion of helping others achieve their goals as well, and whatever life plans he has to run his own business will include lending a hand to others not as fortunate.
“I want to be remembered as someone who did good in life, who helped others succeed,” Bearchell said.
When he was 2 years old, Bearchell was diagnosed with leukemia, and when he was 7, he was diagnosed with lymphoma blastoma. The illnesses held him back in his earlier years, and it felt as if he jumped right into high school.
His first year at CCC, his mom was diagnosed with breast cancer.
“I finally understood how impactful cancer could be,” Bearchell said, adding that the illnesses have made his family much closer, particularly his relationship with his mother.
His mom is now in remission, and he has been in remission for 12 years now. He believes he has no time to waste to reach for his dreams, which the Raymond Educational Foundation has helped him with.
“I’m immensely grateful,” Bearchell said. “It’s been able to help my parents and myself out financially.”